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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27145099">Twisted Tails</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/abs2891/pseuds/abs2891'>abs2891</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drabbles, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Male Friendship, Polyamory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:43:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27145099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/abs2891/pseuds/abs2891</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles/mini oneshots of Azul, Jade and Floyd because we need more of it in the world.  Updates will be random.  Generally cannon compliant, but maybe an au will sneak in at some point.  Possible spoilers for game contents through latest updates.</p><p>Chapter 1 - Picking up the Pieces - What happens in the aftermath of Azul's overblot in Chapter Three.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azul Ashengrotto &amp; Floyd Leech, Azul Ashengrotto &amp; Jade Leech, Jade Leech/Azul Ashengrotto/Floyd Leech</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Twisted Tails</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Picking up the Pieces</b>
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul reached out for the clock that rested on the nightstand beside his bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>2AM</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He should be asleep.  The nurse had said as much during her exam that the twins had insisted on post his overblot earlier that day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well yesterday.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d tried to protest he was fine, but he was summarily ignored as Floyd just picked him up, threw him over his shoulder, and carried him towards the infirmary, Jade trailing behind with Azul's magic pen firmly in his grasp, meaning any attempt at escape would require him overpowering Floyd physically.  That was something both Jade and Floyd knew he couldn’t do, not without injuring himself, which would only further their insistence that he go to the infirmary so, Azul gave up.  He settled on being unhelpful and letting all his weight flop lifelessly onto Floyd instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Floyd noticed, he didn’t comment.  He just finished carrying Azul all the way to an exam table and set him down on it before going to lean against the wall of the infirmary, pulling out his phone.  To the outside observer, he probably would have seemed disinterested in the quiet conversation taking place between Jade and the nurse.  Except, Azul wasn't an outside observer, and he could tell Floyd was anything but disinterested.  Small facial tics and twitches easily gave away that Floyd was listening to every word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul didn’t comment on it.  He didn’t have the energy.  Instead he let the nurse come over and do the exam Azul was certain was unnecessary.  He felt fine.  Well physically at least.  Mentally...  he’d rather not think about that too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead he focused on the nurse confirming that indeed, physically he had no injuries.  The fatigue he was experiencing would be taken care of with some sleep.  As for the rest, perhaps some counseling and stress management?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul resisted the urge to roll his eyes and instead just gave a nod.  He’d think about it, so long as it got him out of that damn infirmary and back to figuring out how to pick up the pieces of his life that had been thoroughly shattered by that troublesome prefect and his stupid cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a, mostly, clean bill of health secured, Floyd and Jade had receded back into their positions behind Azul as they returned to the dorm, quietly ensuring, even from their positions behind him, that nothing got in his way until they’d reached his bedroom.  He’d reached for the handle without looking at either of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to sleep.  See to it I’m not disturbed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A moment of silence greeted his words.  Azul had almost shut the door before it broke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sleep well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jade's soft voice echoed after him as the door clicked into place, enveloping him in darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul sighed and rolled away from the clock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That had been hours ago.  And yet here he was, still awake.  Unable to find solace even in sleep.  If he really thought about it, it wasn’t hard to understand why.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d had the same problem when he’d first come on land.  And now, without the layers upon layers of promises and protections he’d amassed in his contracts, he again felt exposed.  This human body offered little protection.  Even if he hated many things about his merform, there was no denying it was stronger.  Here, without his magic, he was practically defenseless, and there were plenty of former customers who would be more than happy to take advantage of such circumstances.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul shuddered and clutched the blankets around him, curling into a ball as much as he could in this form, but, it still wasn’t enough.  He couldn’t protect himself here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He needed to leave.  He needed to go where he’d be safe.  Where no one could hurt him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul got out of bed and headed towards the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One night.  That’d be all it took.  He’d go back to sleeping like a human tomorrow, but for now...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul startled as the door to his bedroom swung back a little too fast as he opened it.  He would have wondered at the cause had it not been so readily apparent.  There, seated on the floor just outside his door, was Jade, a mildly startled expression on his face already transitioning to a small, knowing smile as he appraised where Azul stood in the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul’s attention was torn away from deciphering that look as a groan echoed in the hallway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop moving,” Floyd grumbled, turning to bury his face into Jade’s stomach as he attempted to find a new comfortable position on the floor with his cheek resting against Jade’s thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jade chuckled and reached out a hand to ruffle Floyd’s hair.  “I would be happy to oblige, but something interesting has appeared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Floyd stiffened for a second before pushing himself away from Jade’s lap, gaze rising to lock on Azul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a second, no one said anything, the air tense, and then, Floyd laughed, bright and melodious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah!  Tako-Chan!  Do you want to play?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tension left Azul’s body, swiftly replaced with the exhaustion he had momentarily forgotten in his confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I want to sleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jade tilted his head to the side in the tiniest sign of mocking surprise.  “Oh, but wouldn’t that be much easier if you turned around?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a brief moment of consideration, Azul decided to just ignore Jade’s question.  They both definitely already knew the answer.  Better to find his own answers instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Floyd’s smile widened.  “Jade said we could have some fun.” He answered brightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul raised an eyebrow.  “Some fun?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jade nodded, a hand going to his chest in a familiar gesture.  “Of course.  Accompanying you wherever you want to go is always fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul considered that briefly, tempted to point out that they'd both rejected following him within the past 24 hours, but… it’s not like he couldn’t understand why.  Jade and Floyd… they had to have known before anyone else that the situation was about to get out of hand.  Their rejection had been an attempt to stop him.  An action taken in hope that it would snap him out of the spiral he had entered into.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, it had the exact opposite effect, pushing him into complete and total darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul didn’t much care what anyone thought of him, except, he realized, for Jade and Floyd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If they, the only two people who had ever reached out to him, left… Azul shook his head.  He didn’t want to think about it, and really, why should he?  The answer to the question of whether they’d ever actually abandon him was here in front of his door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul pulled open his door wider, stepping into the hallway as Jade and Floyd both moved to stand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to the cave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!  Let’s go!  I want to sleep with Tako-Chan.” Floyd’s arm was linked with his in an instant, already starting to tug him down the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul let him do it, saying nothing.  After a few strides, Jade had caught up to them and linked his arm with Azul’s free one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s definitely been a while since we’ve done that, hasn’t it?” He said, another small smile on his face as he looked down at Azul, expression warm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul looked away, grateful that once they were in water, his skin would hide any trace of the emotions threatening to spill out of his chest and onto his face.  He’d be safe there, able to wrap himself up in his tentacles and hide as Jade and Floyd clung to him, their tales tangled as they always were when they slept, keeping each other in place in the cave they’d found near the mirror portal when they’d started classes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was the perfect place for them to go when they wanted to rest in their true forms.  Well hidden and out of the way of stronger currents, but Azul found himself actually struggling to visualize all the details of the rocks inside.  It really had been some time since they’d gone, hadn’t it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He should make a schedule.  Days they’d sleep underwater and days they would not.  Perhaps weekends would be best.  Less need to rush back for showers to fix their hair and remove the salt from their skin.  He’d just need to adjust the potion batches...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azul’s mind was too wrapped up in planning to notice exactly when both Jade and Floyd’s fingers ended up laced with his on their way to the hall of mirrors, but it didn’t really matter.  Whether he noticed or not, Jade and Floyd weren’t planning on letting go anyways.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
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